Kunshan Tourist Attractions

There are many things to do and see in Kunshan but at times you may find it to be a challenge to get around. You can choose to walk, ride a bicycle, take a taxi or the bus, but they have their limitations as you do not have the freedom to explore. Some expats will apply for their driver’s license and purchase a personal car. Motorcycles are an option, but these licenses are difficult to get in Jiangsu Province.  Most people hire a private driver for long excursions, or buy an e-bike (a scooter that runs on electricity).

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:

Tinglin Park

Tinglin Park is situated on the north end of downtown.  It spans over 140 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, walkways, trails, and exhibits.  There is a 20 RMB entrance fee, however, if you pay a little more up front, you can enjoy a year’s membership so you can visit as often as you like.

Tinglin Park is best known for Ma ‘an Mountain.  If you decide to take the challenge, it is no more than a 15-20 minute hike up to the top, where you can enjoy the view of the entire city as well as a few refreshments.

The park also includes many other features, including a zoo, bonsai garden, Kun Opera Museum, paddle boats, haunted house, and tomb.

  **Some features require additional fees.

  **The best times to visit are during the months of April and May when the flowers
bloom..

Kun Opera Museum

While you’re at Tinglin Park, you might take a few minutes to explore the Kun Opera Museum. The building is a model of antique architecture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Kun Opera is widely known as “the father of all Chinese operas” and has been very influential to Beijing Opera. Inside the museum, you can see scripts and paraphernalia used in Kun Opera.

Fairmont Hotel

The Fairmont Hotel is one of the most renowned hotels in Kunshan. It hosts many community activities for expats, including a scrumptious Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. The hotel also offers a spa, buffet, gym, walking/biking trails, and classes (including yoga, kung fu, etc.) for residents living in Kunshan. It is located near the famous Yangcheng Lake, which is famous for Hairy Crab. Its serene environment allows you to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and relax in nature.

Zhou Zhuang Water Town

You may have noticed that China isn’t exactly that "National Geographic image” you had imagined before moving here. In fact, many people are speechless to find that in some ways, China is far more advanced than many western cities.  But, if you are hoping to get a glimpse of China’s past, you can visit Zhou Zhuang Water Town.  It is one of the three most popular water town destinations outside of Shanghai.  Every year, there are several native and international guests.  It is usually quite busy, especially during beautiful weather and holidays.

While there, you can take boat rides, buy handmade items from local vendors, and immerse yourself in local cuisine.  Be sure to schedule a driver or long distance bus as it is quite far from the downtown area.

Living Skyhigh

Did I mention we move A LOT?!  We have been living on the West side of Kunshan now for over 4 years.  Our current apartment's name is Bo Jue Da Di.  Like most apartment complexes in the city, it has an English name.  There is no reason to learn it because none of the taxi men or locals will be able to help you with directions.  (This gives you a great opportunity to start practicing your Mandarin!)  

Our apartment complex is great:  it is stunning from the outside in.  We have the penthouse with an incredible view of Yang Cheng Lake, an enormous kitchen (for Chinese standards), and a fabulous landlord who has been helping us out.  

However, this area is known for its constant construction from the new buildings being erected from all around us.  After a while, you do become desensitized to the noise.  However, we recently had a neighbor move in.  Drilling began at 7:00AM and didn't typically end until 5:00PM.  Unfortunately, the construction workers continued over the weekend.  We would crawl out of the apartment like earthworms after a rainy day and tried to find things to do outside.  Luckily, after about two months, the neighbors officially moved in...

Our apartment is quite perfect - we are only dissatisfied with one thing: our high speed internet... or should I say lack thereof?  Basically, it is nonexistent.  Chitrak ran the figures the other day and showed that while dial up was 22.2 kbps, our apartment is a whopping 8.3.  Does that put things into perspective?  It like comparing a tortoise to a cheetah (with dial up being the cheetah).  After comparing our internet with our local friends, we have found out that our VPN is cause for our poor internet connection.  Chinese websites are lightning fast.

Enjoy a tour of our home!  These pictures were taken when we were apartment shopping.

Can you guess who lives here?

We are at the tippy toppy!

Only four towers in our building complex now, but there are more popping up.

Main lobby / Entrance to building elevator.

Two elevators for our building.

A one-minute journey to the top, just hope you don't have to pee!

Our apartment has an incredible view of the Kunshan Stadium and Forest Park.

The new buildings soon to be constructed in our apartment complex.  Did anyone hear a BANG, BANG!

Master Bedroom - Out the window, you have a neat view of the bullet train line.

Master Bedroom attached bath, closet and cabinets.

Our second bathroom, just off the living room.

Our third bedroom, with the capacity for two wee ones.  No intentions to fill it.  :-)

Another closet for the kids' bedroom.

Door on the left opens to the main entrance of the apartment.  

Dining / Living Room - Chitrak is happy to see how big the kitchen is (door on the left).  He approves.

Kitchen - I have not seen a kitchen this large in all of China,unless of course you are renting a villa.

Dining room with lazy susan.

Our far-out decoration... Liberace anyone?  (We call it "tu hao" 兔毫)

Our crazy wall mirrors.

Master Bedroom Shower - apologies for the blurriness.

Laundry Room - Washer & Clothes Hanger

What's That Incredible Flavoring You Use?

Is he tying his shoe?  Did he drop something?  

WAAAAAAIT!! Is that a manhole??  Oh dear, it is!!

Recently, I watched a clip online of some clever entrepreneurs doing their best to help the world reduce waste... almost literally!  In a way, you have to give them kudos for their imaginative creativity.  However, I think you will agree with me when I say "recycled oil" may not be your thing.

In China, it is common practice to dump oil down the sink where it makes its way below the city streets and bumpy sidewalks, straight into the sewer.  It appears that there is a large top layer of oil sitting there, sad and lonely, just waiting to return to its glory days.

It is then that hardworking immigrants trying to support their families, come with buckets and large ladles in hand, for collection.  The mixture that they gather is then taken to a distillery, where it is cleansed with cleaning agents and resold for a reduced price in the market.

Chitrak and I happened to chance upon it as we exited one of our favorite haunts.  Yes, it even happens in Kunshan.  I stared with shock and wonder as the man bent down to take the manhole cover off.

Ahhhhh, I realized as I noticed the mush spilling onto the sidewalk, That must be why there are black oil stains around the manholes in town!

It is illegal in China, and the government does its best to stop this "gutter oil" production, but with such a large population it simply can't be eradicated.  Know that the gross part really isn't that it is a mixture of oil and unknown sewage, because after the distilling process, it is pretty clean.  It is the chemical agents that you consume that make it a health risk and dangerous.

Words of advice:  be wary of street food and check out their oil bottle first before ordering.  Better safe than sorry I always say.  :-)

Kunshan Beer Festival, 2013

The German Beer festival is a major Kunshan highlight.  Held once a year in August behind the Swissotel, this event puts Kunshan on the map with other beer festival towns like Qingdao and Dalian. People from out of town come in to attend, including overnight guests from Shanghai and Suzhou.  Entrance tickets are about $25 USD (120-150RMB), and includes two 500 mL beers with two snacks at the German tent.  It's not cheap, but its good food and great company!

Inside the German tent, the most sought after tent for foreigners, you'll find a lively music act imported from Germany.  You'll always find them in their best lederhosen and dirndl.  Don't miss their "kissing gag" (I'll let you attend to find out what that is!).  They've been performing here for the past ten years and are definitely a stand-alone reason to attend.  The German tent is also the only tent with an A/C, and usually has the most foreign food.

Companies, such as mine, can rent tables for their companies.  We get a little excited when it comes to town.

We warmly invite you to dine with us! 

Winter is Coming

My new look, the "starfish Ralphie."

I thought it was only in the movies where I would see someone so bundled up they could hardly move.  I can vividly recall the giggles I had over Ralphie in one of my favorite childhood classics, A Christmas Story....  Well, please look no further!

You will find me in my full regalia every winter day:  one full coverage hat, gloves, two to three pairs of long johns, two sweaters, and a full length downy feather coat... oh yeah, and two scarves, wrapped accordingly around my neck depending upon the wind that day.  One of the main reasons I look like the "Ralphie starfish"  is because I take my e-bike to work, so it usually makes the temperature drop by ten degrees.  OK, please don't judge me on how I cannot bear a 5 minute drive.  I on occasion will drive into town, which can be a 15-20 minute commute one way depending on where you want to go, and I have recess duty three times a day for 20 minutes each.  It can get chilly!

The other reason I layer is for comfort.  In any typical North American home, there are carpeted floors and central heating.  The walls are insulated with fiberglass and wood.

Not here.

The floor is covered in tile, and the walls are made of cement, which is nice in the summertime as it cools the place, but it carries no insulation to keep the heat in.  Since Kunshan falls south of the Qinling Mountain Range, it is considered a town that is "too warm" to need central heating.  Instead, you have wall A/Cs in each room, except in the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry areas.

The A/C blows out warm air in the winter, but it rarely keeps the room warm enough.  In school, parents and students alike complain that the room is "too warm" in the winter, and ask teachers to turn off the A/C.  You'll find that most students never shed their winter coat during lessons, and you begin to join them.

I've gotten used to it, but it's taken some adjustment.  I am lucky my husband invested in foam door insulators.  We even purchased the cling-on wrap for the windows to help retain heat.  But Canadians, yes you, despite your colder climate back home, you will still freeze to death here.  Bring a jacket so you don't have to go searching for one when you reach.  :-)

On another note, I always welcome Springtime as the mothers of my students flock to me with such great appreciation for my ability to loose weight.  Little do they know I have no secret, because my weight is typically stays the same,  I just shed a few layers of coats!

Sometimes I feel like I am preparing to take on the Arctic!  I'm not sure I would survive on hour there.  

My casual inside house attire.

My pimped out ride - blanket and gloves.

The "Ralphie Starfish" look.  Coming to you soon!

A Handy-Dandy Translator APP

Google is often blocked by the local government, making the use of any of its programs unreliable.  So what do you do?  Find a local variation!  

I have been searching for a way to replace Google Translate.  Often it doesn't work and takes forever to load.  Last week, our IT Technician at CISK recommended I start using Baidu Translate. Since it is a local program it should load with lightening speed and does not require a VPN.   Most (if not all) of its functions require internet.  The APP is free to download... and.... THE APP IS IN ENGLISH!!! 

Some of its unique functions are:

1. "Travel Translation" - similar to the Siri function on your iphone; it allows you to speak English, then it will speak out the mandarin translation
2. "Menu Translation" - allowing you to hold your phone over text, then it will translate it into Mandarin on the screen (ummmm. very cool!)
3. "Conversation Translation" - you speak in English, your friend speaks in Mandarin, it writes the translation in real time
4. "Phrase Book" - contains lists of must-know phrases for dining, car, airport, shopping, taxi, travelling, etc.

Here's the link:   https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bai-du-fan-yi-baidutranslate/id605670941?mt=8.  
You can also search on your APP Store for "Baidu Translate."

Happy Talking (and a special thanks to CISK's IT technician for this recommendation)!

Apartment Hunting: A Picture Walk 1

Below are a hodgepodge of pictures we have taken while apartment scouting.  I hope this can help you get a better idea of an average apartment you may rent in China.  Note that most of these furnished and decorated apartments are between 3,000 - 4,000 RMB (500 - 600 USD) per month. All apartments are in Kunshan either in Butterfly Bay or JiTian.